


Christmas Cold

by praesaepe



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Sickfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-29
Updated: 2014-12-29
Packaged: 2018-03-04 03:15:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2907251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/praesaepe/pseuds/praesaepe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John saw the first signs two days before Christmas.</p><p>Unfortunately, the cold Karkat was trying to deny came in full effect Christmas morning.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Christmas Cold

**Author's Note:**

  * For [blackimpdog](https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackimpdog/gifts).



> For my friend Kathryn for Christmas <3  
> We were both a little late on our gifts but hey, we got them done :D

John saw the first signs two days before Christmas. Karkat stormed into the kitchen, grumpy as ever and mumbling something about the stupidity of holiday cheer, before yanking open the refrigerator door. There was a slight clanging noise as the objects inside shifted, and John giggled. He didn’t need to look to know that Karkat was rolling his eyes. Karkat plucked a carton of eggnog from the side door and set it on the counter. He opened the cupboard and reached for his favorite mug, letting out an annoyed hiss when he found it barely out of reach.

“Let me get that for you,” John said. He leaned over the short troll and grabbed the mug, setting it next to the eggnog.

“No, asswipe, I’m fine,” Karkat huffed, batting at John’s hands. John just smiled and pressed a kiss between Karkat’s nubby horns. Karkat shook his head and looked down to pour the eggnog into the mug. He let out a little sniffle and brought up his oversized sweater sleeve to wipe at his nose. John raised his eyebrows.

“Are you getting sick?” he asked, wrapping his arms around the troll.

“I’m perfectly fine. It’s colder than a mother grub’s convulsing asshole out there, and the cold makes my nose run,” Karkat said as he screwed the cap back on the carton. John stepped back so he could put the carton back in the fridge.

“Sure,” John said disbelievingly. Karkat shut the fridge door and left the kitchen with his eggnog. John turned back to the soup he was making for dinner.

\--

Unfortunately, the cold Karkat was trying to deny came in full effect Christmas morning. John had gotten up early, a holdover from Christmases with his dad as a kid, and made hot chocolate and toast. He was sitting by the fireplace wrapped in a blanket and watching TV when Karkat shuffled in with bloodshot eyes and a deep frown. His arm whipped up to cover his face right before he sneezed.

“Karkat!” John said, a frown creasing his forehead. “I knew you were getting sick. Come here, right now!” Karkat shot John a glare and made to pass him, but John stood up and grabbed his arm.

“John, get your hands off of me right fucking now,” Karkat said. His voice was muffled and sticky. He wiped his nose with his sleeve. John pulled him to the couch and pushed him down. Karkat’s limbs flailed around in a weak attempt to escape, but John tucked the blanket around him and gave him a meaningful stare.

“Karkat, you will stay right on this couch and not move an inch, or I swear to god I will strap you down and make you watch Nic Cage movies with me,” John said. Karkat groaned. The noise was interrupted by a cough.

“Anything but that, please,” Karkat said. “I will cut out my still-beating bloodpusher and give it to you if you spare me from that. Spare my mutated sight globes from those cinematic trainwrecks, John.”

“Then it would probably be best if you didn’t move, dumbass,” John said, grinning. “I’ll be right back.” He went through the door that lead to the kitchen and used the wind to pull open the refrigerator door as he moved towards it. He made a little humming noise under his breath as he rifled through the fridge, letting out a quiet “Ah!” when he found the tupperware container he wanted. He walked across the kitchen to the bowl cupboard, pausing to close the door with his foot.

John scooped the cold soup into an empty bowl, humming “Jingle Bells” under his breath and tapping his foot. He stuck the bowl in the microwave and turned the flame under the hot chocolate back on. It didn’t take long to warm back up, and soon the microwave was beeping to indicate it was done. John filled the mug and took the bowl out of the microwave, then put both on the tray he had gotten specifically to make breakfast-in-bed for Karkat. Karkat was so sappy about that kind of stuff, and John was happy to oblige every now and then.

He carried the tray out to the couch and set it down on a shivering Karkat’s lap. Karkat sniffled appreciatively and took a tentative spoonful of soup.

“Hey, silly, wait, it’s hot,” John said, smiling.

“Fuck, John, I am a fully grown troll. I can be the judge of how hot my own soup is,” Karkat said, rolling his eyes. He stuck the spoon in his mouth defiantly, his pupils widening at the evidently unexpected heat of the soup. He swallowed with a grimace, but said nothing.

“Karkat,” John said softly. Karkat looked at the soup as he got another spoonful, making sure to blow on it this time. “Karkat.” Karkat continued to ignore him. “Did you burn your tongue?” Karkat pointedly picked up the mug of hot chocolate and slowly sipped on it. It was John’s turn to roll his eyes. Then John gasped.

“What?” Karkat asked.

“I forgot!” John rushed into the kitchen, and Karkat heard the pantry door open and close. John ran back into the room, holding a bag of mini marshmallows up like a trophy. He took off the clip holding it closed and grabbed a small handful, dropping them in Karkat’s mug. He got a bigger handful for himself and put the bag on the coffee table before settling down across the couch from Karkat.

“So, what are we watching, then?” John asked, reaching for the remote. “I could pull down _A Lot Like Love_ from the shelf if you wanted. Maybe we could watch one of your Dane Cook movies? _My Best Friend’s Girl_?” Karkat set the spoon down in the bowl and stared at John.

“Since when have you given a barfing fuck about my movies, John?” Karkat said. “How many times have I tried to get you to watch _The Wedding Planner_? Has some strange control grub wriggled into your thinkpan and taken over the movie taste function?” John laughed.

“Karkat, you’re sick! We’re going to watch your movies and do nothing all day. It’s Christmas, and neither of us have work, so we’re just going to laze around the house and get you plenty of liquids so you get better!” he said. Karkat blinked a couple of times and absent-mindedly wiped his nose with his sleeve again. “Now finish your soup, and tell me what movie you want to watch!” Karkat opened his mouth to respond and sneezed instead, making John laugh again. Karkat scowled at him and started eating his soup again.

“I guess we could watch _This Means War_ ,” he said in between spoonfuls. “It has a great romance for me and that bullshit with explosions and spies and all that for you.”

“A spy movie? Fuck yeah!” John said. “If we’re going to watch spy movies, can we watch _Jack Ryan_ next? I bet it has some quadrant-y stuff.” Karkat shook his head a little, but John could see the smile tugging at his lips.

“Maybe, if you’re not a completely empty-headed chittering grub while we watch _This Means War_ ,” Karkat said, putting the tray with the empty soup bowl on the coffee table.

“Deal,” John said. He shifted over next to his boyfriend and spread the blanket across both of them. Karkat leaned his head on John’s shoulder as John started the movie.


End file.
